Notes on delimitation

Recent classification systems have included Quiinaceae (and the Seychelles endemic Medusagynaceae) in the Ochnaceae (APG 2009). This view is here adopted. Whenever necessary the Ochnaceae s.s. is referred to as subf. Ochnoideae, and the Quiinaceae s.s. as subf. Quiinoideae [Stevens 2001 (onwards)].

Sauvagesiaceae has been earlier recognized as a family on its own, because of the flowers with 2-5 fused carpels, staminodes present, and seeds with endosperm. We agree that Sauvagesiaceae is better regarded as a subfamily of Ochnaceae (Amaral 1991).

Distribution in the Neotropics

Adenarake, Blastemanthus, Philacra, Poecilandra, and Tyleria - endemic to the Guayana Shield in northern South America.

Elvasia - Mesoamerican and South American rainforests, especially in the Amazon Basin, the Guianas and the Brazilian Atlantic forests.

Froesia and Touroulia are restricted to northern South America, mostly in the Amazonian forests.

Godoya and Rhytidanthera are restricted to the Andean forests, from Colombia to Bolivia.

Krukoviella is endemic to the western Amazon, in Brazil (Amazonas), Peru and Ecuador (Zamora-Chinchipe).

Lacunaria - most species in the Amazonian lowland forests. Lacunariacrenata (Tul.) A.C. Sm. also in the Brazilian Atlantic forests, and L.panamensis (Standl.) Standl. endemic to the South central American rainforests.

Luxemburgia - Brazil. Most species endemic to the Espinhaço Range in Minas Gerais; a few species in Goiás, Bahia, and in granitic outcrops in Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro states.

Quiina - most species in the Amazon Basin. Distribution ranging from Belize and Jamaica to Bolivia and southern Brazil.

Perissocarpa - northern South America, at high-elevation areas (600-1900m) in the Andes, Coastal Cordillera of Venezuela, and the western portion of the Guayana Shield.

Sauvagesia - most species either endemic to white-sand forests and remnant areas of the Guayana Shield in Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil and Guyana, or to campos along the Espinhaço Range in Minas Gerais and Bahia, Brazil; yet, S. erecta has worldwide distribution.

Cespedesia, Godoya and Rhytidanthera have fimbriate appendages at the proximal and adaxial surface of bracts and sepals, 5-carpelate pistils with intrusive T-shaped placentae and sessile stigmas, and winged seeds (Dwyer 1944a). These genera also do not have staminodes. Godoya and Rhytidanthera have 5 unequal sepals, and the latter is the only genus of Ochnaceae s.s. having imparipinnate leaves.

Poecilandra, Tyleria and Wallacea have leaves with numerous close-parallel secondary veins, and flowers with (2)3-carpellate and unilocular ovary with numerous ovules per locule.

Ouratea has very frequently a unique venation (eucamptodromous), with the secondary veins curving strongly near the margin and continuing almost as submarginal veins, and short intersecondary veins paralleling the basal portion of secondaries (Gentry 1996); but sometimes, the intersecondary veins are obliquely reticulate (see Maguire & Steyermark, 1989); stipules are usually early caducous; when persistent, it may be an important species diagnostic feature.

Sauvagesia are usually herbs or subshrubs with awned stipules, and white, reddish or pink flowers; staminodes are common, in 1-2 series, sometimes forming a corona.

Touroulia - are trees with pinnate leaves, the leaflets with numerous closely spaced and more or less parallel running tertiary veins, unisexual flowers (androdioecious plants), syncarpous gynoecium, and villous seeds.

Notable genera and distinguishing features

Ouratea - the fruits have a fleshy and usually reddish 'carpophore' (derived from the enlargement of the basal portion of the carpels) that carries 1-10 one-seeded and usually erect blackish mericarps; a small group of Amazonian species (e.g., O. decagyna and O. discophora) has a 'carpophore' with mericarps horizontally arranged.

Sauvagesia, Tyleria, Wallacea and Elvasia kollmannii Fraga & Saavedra have white or reddish petals, contrasting with the majority of the Ochnaceae s.s., which have yellow petals.

Status

The abovementioned genera are mostly endemic to the Neotropics (Sauvagesia has a few Paleotropical species). A few species of Ochna L. are cultivated in the Neotropics.